Isaiah 57

57 1The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and
merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken
away from the evil to come.
2He entereth into peace; they rest in
their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.
3But draw near
hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
4Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth,
and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of
falsehood,
5ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green
tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they
are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast
offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?
7Upon a high
and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to
offer sacrifice.
8And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy
memorial: for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than me, and art
gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou
lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
9And thou wentest to the king
with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors
far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol.
10Thou wast wearied
with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst
find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.
11And
of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not
remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of
long time, and thou fearest me not?
12I will declare thy righteousness;
and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.
13When thou criest, let
them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a
breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall
possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
14And he will say,
Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of
the way of my people.
15For thus saith the high and lofty One that
inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place,
with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit
of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16For I will not
contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint
before me, and the souls that I have made.
17For the iniquity of his
covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth;
and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18I have seen his
ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him
and to his mourners.
19I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to
him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal
him.
20But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and
its waters cast up mire and dirt.
21There is no peace, saith my God, to
the wicked.